Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers both install and tape wallboard.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, work indoors. As in many other construction trades, the work is physically demanding. Workers spend most of the day standing, bending, or reaching, and they often must lift and maneuver heavy, oversized wallboard.

Employment of drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, is projected to grow 5 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Workers with a good employment history and experience in construction should have the best job opportunities.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, work with many different types of tools.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboard and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboard for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers both install and tape wallboard.

Duties

Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, typically do the following:

Review design plans to minimize the number of cuts and waste of wallboard

Determine the precise locations of electrical outlets, plumbing, and windows

Cut drywall or ceiling tiles to the right size, using utility knives and power saws

Drywall is the most commonly used interior wall covering. The ability to use a wide variety of finishes over properly prepared drywall, as well as low installation costs, drive its popularity. In addition to covering insulation, electrical wires, and plumbing pipes, drywall dampens sound and provides fire resistance.

To hang and prepare ceilings, workers may use mechanical lifts or stand on stilts, ladders, or scaffolds. Once wallboards are hung, workers use progressively wider trowels to spread multiple coats of sealing compound over cracks, indentations, and any remaining imperfections. Some workers may use a mechanical applicator, a tool that spreads sealing compound on the wall joint while dispensing and setting tape at the same time.

Drywall installers are also called drywallers or hangers. They cut and hang the panels of wallboard.

Ceiling tile installers hang ceiling tiles and create suspended ceilings. Tiles may be applied directly to the ceiling, attached to furring strips, or suspended on runners that are connected by wire to the ceiling. Workers are sometimes called acoustical carpenters, because they also install tiles that block sound.

Tapers are also called finishers, because they prepare the drywall for covering by plaster, paint, and wallpaper. Tapers apply paper or fiberglass mesh tape to cover drywall seams.

In addition to performing new installations, many installers and tapers make repairs such as fixing damaged drywall and replacing ceiling tiles. The wall coverings applied to the finished drywall are installed by painters, plasterers, and paperhangers.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers held about 127,000 jobs in 2014.

Sixty-six percent worked in the drywall and insulation contractors industry. About 1 in 5 were self-employed in 2014.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, work indoors. As in many other construction trades, the work is physically demanding. Workers spend most of the day standing, bending, or reaching, and they must often lift and maneuver heavy, oversized wallboard.

Because the work creates a lot of dust, which irritates the skin, eyes, and lungs, workers may wear protective masks, goggles, and gloves. Common injuries falls from ladders or stilts, cuts from sharp tools, and muscle strains from lifting heavy materials.

Work Schedules

Most drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, work full time.

About 1 in 5 were self-employed in 2014. Self-employed installers and tapers may be able to set their own schedule.

New drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, typically learn their job by working with more experienced workers.

Most drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, learn their trade on the job. A formal educational credential is typically not required to enter the occupation.

Education

Although there are no education requirements for becoming a drywall and ceiling tile installers, or taper, high school math and vocational technical courses are considered useful.

Training

Most drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, learn their trade on the job by helping more experienced workers and gradually being given more duties. They start by carrying materials and cleaning up, and then learn to use the tools of the trade. They also learn to measure, cut, and install or apply materials. Employers usually provide some on-the-job training, lasting up to 12 months.

A few drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, learn their trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of related technical work and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. During training, apprentices learn construction basics related to blueprint reading, mathematics, building code requirements, and safety and first-aid practices.

A few groups, including the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs. The basic qualifications for entering such a program are as follows:

Minimum age of 18

High school education or equivalent

Physically able to perform the work

After completing an apprenticeship program, they are considered to be journey workers and may perform duties on their own.

Important Qualities

Balance. Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, often wear stilts. They must be able to move around and use tools overhead without falling.

Math skills. Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, use math skills for measurement on every job. For example, they must be able to estimate the quantity of materials needed and measure accurately when cutting panels.

Physical stamina. Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, constantly lift and move heavy materials into place, so workers should be in good physical shape.

Physical strength. Drywall and ceiling tile installers must often lift heavy panels over their heads to secure onto the ceiling.

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics

The median annual wage for drywall and ceiling tile installers was $41,090 in May 2016.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,830, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,660.

The median annual wage for tapers was $48,990 in May 2016.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,320, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $90,260.

The starting wage for apprentices is usually between 40 percent and 50 percent of what fully trained drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers make. As apprentices learn to do more, they receive pay increases.

Most drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, work full time.

About 1 in 5 were self-employed in 2014. Self-employed installers and tapers may be able to set their own schedule.

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Employment of drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, is projected to grow 5 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Drywall is, and will continue to be, the most common interior wall covering in nearly every building. As a result, new residential and commercial building construction will drive demand for workers. Home-remodeling projects are also expected to create jobs, because existing homes and other buildings will require improvements.

Job Prospects

Job prospects for drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, are expected to be good as building construction and remodeling activity continue to grow. As with many other construction workers, employment is sensitive to fluctuations of the economy. On the one hand, these workers may experience periods of unemployment when the overall level of construction falls. On the other hand, shortages of workers may occur in some areas during peak periods of building activity.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers, and tapers, with a good employment history and experience in the construction industry should have the best job opportunities.

Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

Career InfoNet

America’s Career InfoNet includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Carpenters construct and repair building frameworks and structures—such as stairways, doorframes, partitions, rafters, and bridge supports—made from wood and other materials. They also may install kitchen cabinets, siding, and drywall.

For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities in this trade, contact the offices of the state employment service; the state apprenticeship agency; local contractors or firms that employ drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers; or local union–management finishing trade apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor's ApprenticeshipUSA program online or by phone at 877-872-5627.

For more information about drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers, visit

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2016 Median Pay

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Number of Jobs, 2014

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Entry-level Education

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Projected Growth Rate

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2016 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics survey. In May 2016, the median annual wage for all workers was $37,040.